Holder for surgical stitching instruments and accessories



April 1946- J. D. KARLE 2,399,040

HOLDER FOR SURGIQAL STITCHING INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES Filed July 4, 1942 I 3 Sheets-Sheet l April 23, 1946. KARLE 2,399,040

HOLDER FOR SURGICAL STITCHING INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES l3 I I: 1a WEE] i 22 J. D. KARLE HOLDER FOR SURGICAL STITCHING INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES April 23, 1946.

Filed July 4, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 23, 194$ HOLDER FOR SURGICAL STITCHING HN- STRUMENTS AND ACCESSORMS John D. Karie, Roselle Park, N. 3., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation oi New Jersey Application July 4, 1942, Serial No. 449,824

7 Claims.

This invention relates to holders for surgical stitching instruments and accessories used in connection .therewith and it .has as a primary Object to provide such a holder which may be used to house the instrument and its accessories and also to effect sterilization thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a holder which will maintain the instrument and its accessories in predetermined positions therein and thereby prevent disarrangement of the elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder for surgical stitching instruments and their accessories which will permit ready removal therefrom of the instrument and/or the accessories without removing or spilling any sterilizing medium which is contained therein.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a holder for surgical stitching instruments, simple yet efiicient removable supports for sterilizing and particularly adapted for fleld use.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combination and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodimentof the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. a

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevationiof my improved holder for surgical stitching instruments and their-accessories, adapted for ofllce and hospital use.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the holder, showing a surgical stitching'instrument Y and. its accessories supported therein.

Fi 3 is a top end view of the holder with the closure cap removed, showing the instrument and v its accessories nested therein.

Fig. 4 is an inside view of the closure cap.

Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, of the upper end of th holder, showing the closure cap partially removed therefrom, for a purpose later to be described.

rying member adapted to be supported in the holder, showing a plurality of spools and a spoolwlnder mounted thereon.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a second accessory carrying member adapted tobe supported in the holder, showing a plurality of suturing needles carried thereby.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the needlecarrying member, taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of my improved holder for surgical stitching instruments and their, accessories, when fitted for field use, showing a ground-penetrating support therefor in retracted position.

Fig. 10 is a view of the lower portion of the holder shown in Fig. 9 with the ground-penetrating support rotated thereon and extended for insertion into the ground.

Fig. 11 is a bottom end view of the device as shown in Fig. 10 with a certain belt-attaching clamp omitted.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a modified form of needle-holder adapted to be supported in the container.

Fig. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line i3l 3 of Fig. 12.

Referring more specifically to the drawingsand first toFigs. 1 to 8 inclusive, the invention is disclosed as embodied in a device comprising a canlike container i having its lower end closed and its upper end open and exteriorly threaded, as at 2. A closure cap 3 is internally threaded, as at 4, to screw upon the threaded upper end of the container. To prevent loss of the cap, it may be attached to the container, as, for example, by a chain 5, attached to the container by a screw 6 and to the cap by a swivel connection I which permits free rotation of the cap. The cap 3 is with an internal hub 8 circumferentially grooved to receive and hold the smallend of a bee-hive spring 9 to the larger end of which is attached a disk ill adapted, when the cap is screwed down upon the container, as shown in Fig. 2, to act as a pressure plate to hold the suturing instrument and the accessory holders therein against displacement. 7

To effect a tight seal between the container l and the cap 3, the container is formed, below the threads 2, with an annular substantially conical shoulder ii adapted to be engaged by the conical inner face l2 of the skirt portion of the cap. As shown most clearly in Fig. 5, the upper surface of the shoulder II is slightly Fig. 6 is a side elevation of an accessory-carrounded in cross-section so that a line contact is obtained 'between the shoulder and the cap when the cap is screwed down.

Secured in the open upper end of the container I are a pair of accessory-holder supporting bars I3 and I4 adapted to receive and support the hooked upper ends I5 and I6 of accessory-carrying members I5 and I6, respectively. A suturing instrument S is arranged lengthwise within the container I between the accessory-carrying members I5 and It. The suturing instrument may be that disclosed in my United States Patent No. 2,348,218, May 9, 1944.

The member I5 comprises a strip of flat metal carrying a plurality of split studs I'I adapted to support and frictionally retain suture-carrying spools I8 designed for use in' the surgical stitching instrument S. At its lower end, the member I5 is formed with a split tube I9 adapted to receive and 'frictionally retain a spool-winder 20 adapted to hold and wind suturing thread on the spools I8. Intermediate the spools I8 and the spool-winder the member I5 carries a plurality of outwardly projecting pins 2| arranged to receive and hold a bent sheet metal arm 22 carrying a thread-guide and tension for the thread to be wound on the spools I8. This spoolwinder, and a similar thread-guide, together with the means employed for attaching them to the handle of the suturing instrument when it is desired to wind suturing thread on the spools, are disclosed in my United States Patent No. 2.328.557, September 7, 1943.

The accessory holder I6 is designed to hold curved needles for use in the surgical stitching instrument S and comprises a sheet metal blank folded as illustrated in Fig. 8 to provide needleshank-clamping side walls I6 and I6 between which the shanks 22 of needles 22 are adapted to be frictionally held. The points of the needles also may be located between the side walls I6 and Iii to protect the points and to prevent a user from accidentally coming into contact therewith.

container. Secured to the strip 25, at spaced intervals, by rivets 28 are spring-clips 29 adapted frictionally to engage the shanks s of needles n laid upon the strip 25 and abutting a flange 30 formed on one edge of the strip. Preferably the strip 23 is apertured beneath the free end of each clip 23, as indicated at 50, to render the clips more effective in holding the needles. The upper end of each spring clip 29 is preferably flared outwardly at 3i to form a finger-piece by means of which the clip may be flexed to facilitate insertion and removal of the needles. If desired the needles may be inserted behind the -clips 29 by merely placing the shank thereof The container disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 is de- I signed primarily for ofiice and hospital use where conventional sterilizing equipment is available. For that reason, the neck portion 23 of the container I, i. e. the portion between the shoulder II and the threads 2, is formed with a plurality of slots or apertures 24 which (when the cap 3 is partially unscrewed and. the container, with the instrument and accessories therein, is placed in an autoclave or other suitable sterilizing unit) permit the sterilizing fiuid to enter the container, as indicated by the arrows a: in Fig. 5, to sterilize the inside of the container and everything therein. Sterilization having been completed the cap is screwed down upon the shoulder II and the parts are maintained in sterile condition.

The construction disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 may also be used to advantage by general practitioners for emergency suturing. For this purpose the container may be substantially filled with a sterilizing liquid into which the surgical stitching instrument and its accessories may be immersed andmaintained in sterile condition for instant use.

In Figs. 12 and 13 there is disclosed a modified form of needle-holder also adapted to be supported by the cross-bar I4 in the mouth of the container I. This modified needle-holder comprises a sheet metal strip 25 having, at one end, a hook-portion 23, designed to hang upon the cross-bar I4, and a finger piece 21 designed to facilitate withdrawing of the holder from the against the strip 25 above a clip 29 and then moving the needle downwardly against and beyond the finger piece 3I. This movement of the needle shank will flex the clip and admit the shank of the needle into the semi-cylindrical socket 32 provided by the clip.

For field use, the holder may be modified as illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. This modified construction diifers from the construction hereinbefore described in that the container I is provided with a bayonet-like ground-penetrating support 33 curved in cross-section so as to fit the outside of the container I, as shown in Fig. 11, and designed to have its pointed end forced into the ground to hold the container in upright position while the suturing instrument is being used. The support 33 is fixed to a sleeve 34 rotatably and slidingly fitted upon the outside of the container I and adapted to be slid upwardly thereon, to the retracted position shown in Fig. 9, when not in use, or to be slid downwardiythereon, to the position shown in Fig. 10, when it is desired to insert the support into the ground. When the support is retracted the sleeve 34 is partially rotated on the container I to bring the pointed end 35 of the member 33 into contact with the upper side of one of the two projecting ends 36 of a plate 36 which is fitted into a recess 36 in the bottom wall of the container and held therein by screws 37. This holds the member 33 in retracted position. At its lower end, the sleeve 34 is formed with two diammetrically opposite outwardly expanded fiat loops 38 which afiord clearance for the projecting ends 33 of the plate 33 and, at the upper end of said loops, with two circumferentially disposed slots 39 into which the ends 36 are adapted to be rotated. The ends 36, the loops 33 and the slots 39 constitute a form of bayonet joint for maintaining the sleeve 34 and the member 33 in their projected or operative positions. A spring clamp 40, attached to a wire loop 4 I connected to the member 33, serves as means to support the holder on the belt of a surgeon for the purpose of transportation.

For field service the container I is preferably filled with a suitable sterilizing fluid into which the instrument S and the accessories may be immersed after each use. Supporting of the container I in upright position, as by inserting the member 33 into the ground, prevents spilling of the sterilizing fluid while the instrument is in use.

When fitted for office and hospital use, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the recess 36 in the bottom wall of the container may be filled with a dummy plate 42, which is shorter than the plate 35 and whose ends are flush with the side wall of the container.

From the foregoing it will be understood that this invention has provided a holder for surgical stitching instruments and accessories which is simple in construction and therefore inexpensive to manufacture; which is adapted to effect sterilization of the elements therein; which is adaptable for either indoor or field use; and which will so support the accessories that they are readily available for use and, being carried by the elements l5, I6 and/or 25 are protected against misplacement and loss.-

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention what I claim herein is:

1. A holder for a surgical stitching instrument and accessories therefor comprising a cylindrical casing having one end closed and the other end open, a pair of accessory-holder supporting bars secured within said open end adjacent opposite sides of said casing, accessory holders supported on said bars with a space between said bars and accessory holders sufliciently large to admit of the insertion of a surgical stitching instrument into said casing, and a closure cap for closing the open end of said casing.

2. A holder for a surgical stitching instrument and accessories therefor comprising a cylindrical casing having one end closed and the other end open, a pair of accessory-holder supporting bars secured within said open end adjacent opposite sides of said casing,a pair of accessory holders each provided with a hook-shaped upper end engaging one of said bars with a space between said bars and accessory holders sufliciently large to admit of the insertion of a surgical stitching instrument into said casing, a closure cap threaded on the open end of said casing for closing the same, and a spring-supported disk mounted in said cap and engaging said accessory holders and the surgical stitching instrument therebetween to maintain them against movement in said casing.

3. A holder for a surgical stitching instrument and accessories therefor adapted for field use, comprising a can-like container carrying a quantity of sterilizing fluid, accessory holders supported in said container with a space between said accessory holders sufliciently large to admit of the insertion of a surgical stitching instrument into said container, a closure cap for closing the open end of said container, and a member carried by said container and adapted to be inserted into the ground to maintain said container in upright position during the use of the instrument normally carried therein.

4. A holder for a surgical stitching instrument and accessories therefor adapted for field use. comprising a can-like container carrying a quantity of sterilizing fluid, accessory holders supported in said container with a space between said accessory holder sufficiently large to admit of the insertion of a surgical stitching instrument into said container, a closure cap for closing the open end of said container, and a bayonetlike member slidingly mounted on said container and shiftable into retracted and projected positions, said member, when in its projected position being adapted to be inserted into the ground to maintain said container in upright position to prevent spilling of said sterilizing fluid during the use of the instrument normally carried therein.

5. A holder for a surgical stitching instrument and accessories therefor adapted for field use, comprising a can-like container carrying a quantity of sterilizing fluid, accessory holders supported in said container with a space between said accessory holders sufllciently large to admit of the insertion of a surgical stitching instrument into said container, a closure cap for closing the open end of said container, a sleeve rotatabiy and slidably mounted on said container, a relatively long and pointed member carried by said sleeve and curved in cross-section to correspond to the curvature of the container, said member being shiftable into retracted and projected positions and when its projected position being adapted to be inserted into the ground to maintain said container in upright position to prevent spilling of said sterilizing fluid during the use of the instrument normally carried therein.

6. A holder for a surgical stitching instrument and accessories therefor adapted for field use comprising a can-like container carrying a quantity of sterilizing fluid, accessory holders supported in said container with a space between said accessory holders sufliciently large to admit of the insertion of a surgical stitching instrument into said container, a closure cap for closing the open end of said container, a relatively long and pointed member rotatably and slidably mounted on said container and shiftable to retracted and projected positions, said member, when in its projected position being adapted to be inserted into th ground to maintain said container in upright position during the use of the instrument normally carried therein, and a bayonet-joint connection between said member and said container to maintain said member in its projected position.

7. A holder for a surgical stitching instrument and accessories therefor comprising a cylindrial casing vin one end closed and the other end open, a pair of accessory-holder positioning members fixedly secured within and adjacent opp site sides of said casing, accessory holders removably disposed in said casing and positioned by said members with a space between said members and accessory holders sufliciently large to admit of the insertion of a surgical stitching instrument into said casing, and a closure cap for closing the open end of said casing.

JOHN D. KARLE. 

